Eight Ball, Corner Pocket
by PCGirl
Summary: Finality to the couple Natalie Vega and John McBain.


Disclaimer: I don't own OLTL or the characters on the showABC does and they can have them.

A/N: This is just a simple ending to a simple couple that I've loved. I'll finish Good Intentions and my Nick story, I'm not ever saying I won't write for Jolie again, it's just getting hard to root for a couple that the show obviously doesn't want us rooting for. Hope you enjoy it. PCGirl.

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Natalie looked around Crossroads and nodded in approval—everything was set up for the reopening next week. Now she just had to get back to the cottage and make sure everything there was set for Cristian's release in a few days. She paused and recounted the day she found out her husband was still alive. 

_Evangeline walked out of John's office with the paper in hand—trying to decide whether to confront him first or spill the good news to Natalie. John was off on a case—so Natalie it was._

_She walked slowly into the main area of the Police Department and saw Natalie sitting at her desk typing something up on the computer, "Natalie?"_

"_Evangeline—hi," said Natalie with a slight smile. "John's not here—he was called away for a possible lead in the serial killer. I can take a message though."_

"_Actually—I wanted to show you something. It was sitting on John's desk and happened to just fall on the floor—I think you should read this," she said with an evil grin on her face._

_She looked at the paper inspecting who it was from before she opened it and read it quietly, her hands shaking as she put the DNA results down and looked up to Evangeline, "This just happened to fall off the top of his desk?"_

"_Fell—was in the back of the bottom drawer of his desk—it doesn't matter though Natalie, your husband really is alive and I'll be happy to represent him in any appeals he's ready to make."_

"_Like hell you will," she yelled as she stood up and slapped Evangeline hard across the face and watched as she held her face in shock afterwards._

_Bo came out of his office at the sound and looked at both of them, "Is there a problem ladies?"_

"_I was trying to help you Natalie—I want you to be happy," she said as she walked off._

"_You slapped her?"_

"_Look at this—look at what John's been keeping from all of us," she said as she handed the paper to Bo and then leaned in for comfort and support._

"_Come on—let's get you to sit down and I'll get to the bottom of this," said Bo as he led her into his office and closed the door._

That afternoon just a month ago had been hell for her—from finding the right lawyer to getting to Statesville to see Cristian. None of that though was as bad as the interrogation and hell she gave John for keeping this secret from her. It'd been a two way street—both him and Cris had wronged her, but in the end it was John that got the brunt of Hurricane Natalie.

Natalie pulled out her pool cue and decided to play a round before heading back—her mind again going to that afternoon.

"_You wanted to see me?" asked John as he walked into Bo's office and saw Natalie sitting in the chair, her eyes avoiding his though he could tell she was angry about something._

"_Yeah, close the door John. Evangeline brought something to Natalie's attention earlier—I want to get your response though first," he said as he handed John the paper._

_John didn't have to even look at the paper—this explained why Natalie was so angry, "Let me explain."_

"_Explain?" shouted Natalie. "Explain what? Why you've let my husband stay in Statesville for two months when he was innocent. I can't believe you've called me your friend and are keeping this from me—making me grieve his death AGAIN. It was your fault I lost him the first time and it's your fault I lost him this time."_

_He stood there and just stared at her before speaking, "Natalie—it wasn't my choice not to tell you."_

"_Then whose was it—cause I know it wasn't Evangeline's—she probably would have told me the first day if it meant I'd be out of your hair."_

_John knew he was going to have to have one hell of a conversation with Evangeline later, "No, it was Cris'. I told him the truth—he had amnesia when he committed the crimes it seems. It wasn't until after I told him who he really was that he remembered everything._"

"_You could have told us—we could have done an immediate appeal, John," spoke Bo—calmly and slowly._

"_It was his decision—he didn't want to see his loved ones to see him as a killer."_

"_He should have given us that choice," she said as she wiped her eyes and began for the door._

"_Hey—wait a minute."_

"_No, stay away from me John," she yelled at him and ran out._

Every time since then when she saw him she walked the other way—never talking to him or giving him even a glance in his direction. To her their friendship was over, and though she missed it she knew her husband was coming back in a few days and that made up for it.

She began to take a shot when she heard the door open behind her, "Sorry—we're closed until next Monday."

"Good—that way we won't be interrupted," he smiled as he watched her stretched forwards on the table lining up her shot.

She stopped and turned and looked at him, "What do you want?"

"Antonio told me you'd be here—I needed to talk to you. I mean it's kind of hard since you've been avoiding me for a month."

"Well, I had a right too, didn't I?"

"I'm sorry—I'll say it again if you want me to."

"No, it's ok. So what made you drive out this way?"

"Actually it's on my way," he said with a slight cough. "I'm leaving Llanview."

"You're—leaving?" she said as she dropped the cue stick on the table. "But why?"

"I've done a lot of damage here—and I know," he stopped and thought about the words before he said them. "I know if I leave now you'll be happy—I guess that's all I ever wanted for you."

Natalie smiled, "I just hope you can find that happiness one day."

"I will—I'll try. I learned a lot from you this past year and a half, Natalie. You're a pretty strong woman," he said as he just stared at her. "Listen—enough jabbering. How about we actually do that one last game before I leave town? Winner doesn't win anything—just for fun, like maybe friends would do."

"Sure," she smiled as she racked the balls. "Listen John—what I said that day, about you were the cause for his death in Las Vegas—it wasn't true."

"I know," he grinned as he broke and they played one last game as friends. And as the winner shot the eight ball into the corner pocket they both grinned at each other and gave a high five and then a hug.

Some couples are about sex, some about a friendship that has been since two people were just old enough to walk but for John and Natalie it was about one simple thing—a game of pool and learning to grieve for lost loves and moving on with their lives.


End file.
